Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-11-04
THE ANARCHISTS CASES.

THE ANARCHISTS CASES
The Supreme court of the United
States, after a careful consideration of
the appeal of the anarchists, has refused
to grant & writ OF error, and the doomed
men must suffer the extreme penalty Of
the law, unless their sentences should be
committed by Governor Oglesby of Illi-
nois. In view Of the fact that the cases
of these doomed men have been before
the ordinary tribunals, and also before
| the highest court III the state Of Illinois,
ss well as before the highest court il the
United States, or The world, and in each
| instance the guilt of the accused was
made more plain, 1t is scarcely probable
that the Governor OF Illinois will ex-
| tend to them executive clemeDcy, On pure
ly sentimental grounds. During the ex-
citing times of the arrest and trial it Was
feared that public clsmor would ln11 CT in
Justice upon those culprits in the name
of law, and that their constitutional
rights, az fair and impartial trial," would
be denied them. They were ably ferd-
ed, however, and the review Of their
case by the ablest and most profound
lawyers on the continent nss failed to dis
cover any instance wherein they were
tried otherwise than in g perfectly legal
manner. There is one feature about the
original trial which ought not to be 81
lowed to stand as precedent, and
that is The breaking into the pri-
yate desks and papers Of the &C.
cused before they were tried, and
while the law presumed them still limo
cent. The results have shown that such
action was necessary and therefore justi-
fable in this particular case, and it is
probably well that it waa done; it would
be g sorry day for this country, however,
when such proceedings should become
usual. Any man can he charged with
capital oEepse, and if the mere charge
would authorize or permit the laW off
GERS to invade the sanctity of his private
effects, the principle would soon be ex-
tended until personal liberty would be
known only to tradition, or as pleasing
fcticn OF the laW. It WAS an ex-
traordinary proceeding, but it
was an extraordinary case and,
while the practice should be discounten-
snced, no harm was done the accused,
and they will receive no punishment bat
What, on their own voluntary statements,
they eminently deserve. The rumor that
Parsons and two others would have their
sentences committed can scarcely be re-
actually guilty Of murder but all We're
constructively guilty, and, if any of them
suffer the extreme penalty, Parsons
should be the first, Notwithstanding his
defiant surrender to the authorities. He
Is an American born citizen and should
have understood and respected the laws
OF his country. He has seen his country
while 1t was suffering the terrible effects
Of bsVonet government, or bufeted upon
the angry pillows of no government, and ne
could not be sincere in wishing return
of these fearful times unless to crafty
those ghoulish Instincts which chsrac-
terizs the hyens. During his career in
Texas the anarchists creed was the state
religion snd, while he had the good for
tune to belong to the circle of high
priests, be csuld not have been blind or
deaf to the sufferings of the victims. He
should have been thoroughly schocled in |
the experiences Of mob law, or Of no lsW,
snd certainly deserves neither sympathy |
nor commiserstion. People who escape |
from the oppression of foreign govern
nents snd find such 6 change in this
country ns to Cause them to lose their |
heads, snd mistake liberty for license,
sre less blam.ble than those who have |
enjoyed the blessings Of free government
all their lives, and who insanely desire to
tear down that government that has pro-
tected them. Lack Of patriotism is lack
OF spirit, but the ingrstitude which can
move 8 man to raise his urholy hand
against the institutions Of a country like
this, is deserving of not alone death, but
the vilest and most ignominious death.
gor should pity be extended the
strangers who have tried to reform